Cross folding machine



Feb. 1, 1938. ,Y R LUDEMG 2,106,953

CROSS FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 1955 v 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 1, 1938. 1:;` LUDEWIG 2,106,953

cRoss FOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Unvenfor H'H'orney Fly. 9.

R. I UDEWIG 2,106,953

CROSS FOLDING MACHINE Filed sepf. 25, 1935 5 shets-sheet 3 l i l I i l I Patented Feb. 1, 1938 2,106,953 CROSS FOLDING MACHINE Richard Ludewig, Leipzig, Germany Application September 25, 1935, Serial No. 421,077 In Germany September 25, 1934 10 Claims.

The invention relates to a cross folding machine having a blade folding mechanism for the cross fold succeeding a buckling folding mechanism, and consists therein that the stroke of the blade is caused directly, or for example through an automatically disengaging coupling, independently of a denite working tempo by the sheet y conveyed up tothe front stops of the cross folding mechanism by the closing of the control opening of a suction conduit in which a suction piston (snifting piston) connected with the folding blade is displaceably arranged. This pneumatic control of the stroke of the blade renders possible, in consequence of its independence of a fixed working l5 tempo and of the lifting eccentrics of a control shaft, the adaptation of the capacity of the blade folding mechanism to the higher capacity of the buckling folding mechanism, whilst retaining the advantages of the blade fold as compared with ,o the buckling fold, particularly with thick sheet layers, namely of exact fold and of exact registration. Moreover the pneumatic control has the advantage that the source of power necessary therefor is at its disposal in the air pump of the g5 sheet feeding device, which air pump is existent in any case.

The drawings illustrate a constructional example of the invention.

Figs. land 2 show in diagrammatic represen- 30 tation an elevation and a plan.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate respectively a longitudinal section or cross section of the testing device.

Figs. 5J? inclusive illustrate respectively an ele- Fig. 10 is a similar view showing an adjustable' suction testing opening of the modification of Fig. 8. v

The sheet is led up over a feed table I and arrives, after running through a buckling folder consisting of the buckling rollers 2, 3, the driving roller 4 and the buckling guide 5, and also a parallel folding mechanism with the folding 50 rollers 3, 6 and the buckling guide 1, on conveying bands 8 which lead it to the front stops 9 of the cross folding mechanism consisting of the folding rollers I0 and the folding blade II. The folding blade II is connected with a piston rod I2 55 of a snifting piston I3, which is guided in a stationary snifting cylinder I4- so as to be vertically displaceable. Folding blade, piston rod and piston are held by means of a spring I 5 in a position of readiness.

The cylinder space' located beneath the piston is connected by means of a conduit I6 with an air pump I1. A rotary slide valve I8 is arranged in this conduit which, in one position, shuts oi the conduit I6 from the outer air and in the other position connects the conduit I6 with the outer air. The rotary slide valve I8 is mounted on a tubular conduit part I9 in the wall of which a numberof slits ZI) are arranged with which in the open position of the slide valve I8 similar 'slits 2I of the latter come into register, so that the free air can pass Without hindrance into the suction conduit. In this position of the slide valve the shifting piston I3 remains uninuenced by the suction conduit of the pump.

The rotary slide valve I8 is provided with a short arm 22 which is pivotally connected with a piston rod 23 of a shifting piston 25 displaceable in a stationary'cylinder 24. A spring 26 which is mounted on the piston rod 23 maintains the the rotary slide valve in the open position and thus keeps the piston 25 in the ready position. The space in the cylinder 24 on the working face of the piston 25, is likewise connected with the suction side of the air pump I I by means of a conduit 21.

The conduit 21 is connected With the outer air by means of a testing opening 28 in a conduit member which is arranged closely in front of a front stop 9. In the constructional example illustrated in Fig. 3, said conduit comprises a rotating suction conveying wheel, the holes 28 of which coming one after lthe other into the apex position place the conduit 21 with short interruptions in connection with the free air. The suction conveying Wheel consists of the two hub parts 29, 30 which arev rotatably arranged on a `pipe 21a insertedr in the conduit 21 and serving as an axle, and a cover 3I connecting said hubs and having openings 28 therein. 'Ihe one hub 29 of the suction conveying wheel is provided with a sprocket gear 32 which is connected by means of a driving chain 33 with a chain wheel 35 mounted on the driving shaft 34 of the bands. The cover 3l of the conveying wheel has an air tight .engagement with a disc 36 iixedly mounted on the conduit pipe 21a1within said wheel, which disc normally covers all of the holes 28- of the cover except the tophole. .The tophole is in connection, by means of a recess 31 of the disc 36, with the hollow center space of the suction conveying Wheel and also by means of radial bores 38 in the wall of the pipe 21a, with the inner space of the conduit Z'I.

The sheet after passing throughthe buckling folding mechanism is led by the conveying bands 8 to the front stops 9 of the cross folding mechanism. This position is shown by the broken lines in Fig. 2.k When it is in this position the sheet closes thevv testing opening 28 'at "the .top of `thel suction conveying wheel 3|, whereby the suction action produced by the pump I1 in the pipe system 21, 2'In is slightly strengthened, This strengthening of the suction action suilicesvto cause a displacement of the piston 25 in the cylinder 24, by means of which the rotary 'slide transversely extending rod |06 is slidable. f justment of the rod |06 is accomplished by the valve I8 is turned so far that the slit opening of the conduit part I9 in the suction pipe |76 leading to the suction cylinder I4 is closed. Now,

the Whole suction action of the pump comes into operation and causes a displacement of the piston I3 which results in the stroke of the folding blade II.

Inasmuch as the suction action at the testing opening 28 is very small, it does not hinder the drawing off of the sheet by the folding roller I0,

and inasmuch as the control opening is arranged close to the side edge of the sheet, the testing opening I8 is re-opened immediately after the stroke of the folding blade. On cessation of the suction action in the cylindery 24 the piston 25 is returned to its normal position under the influence of the spring' 26. Simultaneously the rotary slide valve I8 is returned to the original position in which the interior of the conduit I6 has an open connection with the air, through the medium of the slits 20, 2|.

Consequently, the suction action in the suction cylinder I 4 is also eliminated and the piston I3 together with the piston rod I2 and the folding blade II are carried back by the spring I3 into the position of readiness.

The folding process may take placein such manner that the folding blade does not strike so far in between the folding rollers that the sheets are drawn in by the pinchingaction alone of the folding rollers, but only Dresses the sheets in toV an extent such as is necessary in order that `the sheets may be sucked up and drawn in by a folding roller constructed in known manner vas a suction roller. This constructional possibility is indicated inFigs. 1 and 2. The one roller `I0 is constructed in a manner known per se as a suction conveying roller, the stationary core of which is connected by means of a conduit 38 with the air pump. The folding blade II is provided' on the side directed towards this folding roller with pressing rollers 40, which vupon the descent of the` folding blade press the sheet on to the folding roller constructed as asuction feed roller, so that it is tightly sucked in on to the roller and is drawn in by the latter.

Naturally the suction roller folding mechanism might be provided with any disposition and arrangement already known in a. folding mechanism of this kind. In'particular also the pressing rollers 40 may be arranged on both sides of the folding blade-.and the other roller may likewise be constructed as a suction folding roller.

It is likewise obvious that in the different suction pipe systemsjall the known devices for the regulation of the suction action may be employed. 'f The suction testing openings 28 and 28, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, are preferably arranged so as to be adjustable in the direction transversely to the cross fold corresponding to the varying with regard to the different nature of the paper, v

for example by an adjustable arrangement of the front stops.

Means for accomplishing the above. noted adjustments are shown in Figs. 9 and 10 where a support |00-is carried byjthe frame of the machine in anysuitable manner. lThe. support |00 is slotted as at |0I, said slot extending longitudinally of the frame. A collar |02 is slidably mounted on said support and is capable of being adjustably positioned therein by a nut |03. The collarcarries a transverse collar |04 in which a wing nut |05.v In Fig. 9, a collar |01 at one end of the rod |06 encircles a pipe 21h.

lIn Fig. l0, a connection |08 connects the pipe 21b with the rod |06. It is readily apparent that the above described structure provides means for' 1. In a. sheet folding machine, a pairiof folding rollers, means for feeding a, sheet in the zone of action of said rollers, a stop for limiting the movementl of said sheet, a vertically movable blade for creasing said sheet between said rollers, a suction actuated piston rigidly connected to said blade' and adapted to move the saine to crease said sheet, a suction line connected to the cylinder of said piston, a portion of said line being formed to provide an opening therein, and said opening vbeing adapted to be overlaid by an edge portion of saidrsheet whereby to seal said opening and increase the suction in said line enough to actuate said piston.

2. In a sheet folding machine, a pair of folding rollers, means for feeding a sheet into 4the zone of action of said rollers, a vertically movable blade for lcreasing said sheet between said rollers, a suction actuated piston for actuating said blade, a normally open suction circuit leading from a. suction creatingsource to said piston, said cir- .cuit being formed to provide an opening therein at a point flush with the plane of and within the limits of travel of said sheet so as to be adapted to be overlaid by a portion of said sheet at a predetermined point in the travel thereof to close said suction circuit and actuate saidv piston.

'3. In a sheet folding machine including sheet advancing means, folding rollers. suction operated sheet creasing means and a normally open suction circuit for actuating said means, said circuit being formed to provide an opening in the plane of and within the limits of the path of 'advance of the sheets and adapted to be overlaid by each of said sheets at a predetermined point in said advance to close said circuit and actuate said creasing means.

said circuit being formed to provide an opening in the 'plane of and within the limits of the path of advanceof the sheets and adapted to be overlaid by each of said sheets at a predetermined point in said advance to close said circuit and actuate said folding means.

5. The structure of claim 4, and said portion of said circuit providing said opening being adapted to be adjusted laterally and longitudinally in a horizontal plane.v f

6. The structure of claim 4, and the actuation of said folding means causing movement of said mally open and relatively weak circuit for closing said valve. circuit closing means in said second circuit, said circuit closing means being positioned in the plane of and vwithin the limits of the path oi' advance of the sheets and adapted to be overlaid by each oi' lsaid sheets at a predetermined point in said advance to close said second circuit and 'actuate said valve to close said first circuit to actuate said folding means. A

8. The structure of claim 7, and said` circuit closing means in said second circuit being adapted to be adjusted laterally and longitudinally in a horizontal plane.l Y I 9. The structure of claim 7, said circuit closing means in said second circuit being adapted to be adjusted laterally and longitudinally in a horizontal plane, and the actuation of said folding means causing movement of said sheet to open break said second circuit.

10. The structure of claim 1, and said portion of said line containing said opening being adjustable to permit its being positioned on said machine.

RICHARD LUDEWIG. 

